Refinery Smoke

RUNWAY

REFINERY SMOKE – The ambiguous character of refinery smoke, both beautiful and poisonous, inspired this collection. Van Herpen translated the elusiveness of industrial smoke into specially woven metal gauze. She turned metal threads into an extremely soft and pliable material. The metal kept its characteristic of oxidation and Van Herpen considers this inherent chemical process as (visually) reflecting the dual aspect of industrial smoke. The organic, liquid, up-creeping smoke looks smooth and dynamic, yet at the same time is frightening, sinister and dangerous. Iris wants to give the viewer this mixed feeling about the collection by manipulating the unpleasant industrial material metal mesh into something soft and lively. The smoke seems to be alive, is tragic but also soft like something you would want to wear. The dresses began life as silver gray but have oxidized in the meantime to take on a reddish-brown glow. Van Herpen sees this rusting process as reflecting the dual aspect of industrial smoke.